What is the reason (historical or other)for why we tip based on cost rather than effort?

711 views

I was originally thinking about delivery (isn’t it basically the same effort to deliver 1 or 2 pizzas?). Shouldn’t delivery tipping be based on distance/effort rather than cost of food?

The same goes for restaurants, of course. If I go with a friend and we have the same meal but I have three glasses of wine, and she has three cokes, I am expected to tip more, but the server’s effort is the same for each of us.

Was it always like this or did it change with time?

Note: I’m only trying to understand this aspect of Us tipping culture. I know that tipping isn’t the norm everywhere.

In: 141

22 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

I tip porters $5 plus $2 per bag when I travel.

I tip bartenders $2 per drink

I tip the girl that gives me a pedicure $10 for having to deal with my ugly toes.

There are some things you tip based on service, others that you tip based on price. It is getting a bit mixed now as I would have said 10 years ago a delivery is $5 no matter the price, but that has changed since 2020.

but that is the same of all things, they change over time. when I was a kid my parents taught us to tip 10% as standard. When I was in college it was 15%. Now it starts at 20%.

You are viewing 1 out of 22 answers, click here to view all answers.